As motor racing commences with it’s first major,
North American race outing…
Forgive Mwah for not scribblin’ my usual
excessively long-winded Rolex 24 Class breakdowns this year. But I simply do
not have the time to devote to such tasks this year, which will soon be
revealed. Especially with 60 cars to compile!
Wayback’ on November 15th, IMSA released their
preliminary 60-car entry list, which naturally has evolved since then. With the
quick breakdown revealing 10 GTP entries, 12 LMP2, 12 GTD Pro and 26 GTD
entries respectively. After one of the GTD Pro entries reverted back to GTD (Daytona)
specification…
GTP
The ten top flight IMSA GTP Prototypes are comprised
of a Noah’s Arc two-by-two Conga-line of Factory entries from Acura, BMW,
Cadillac and Porsche. Wit a further two Privateer Porsche 963’s in the mix!
Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti’s Nos. 10 and
40 Acurahost impressive lineups includes one Indianapolis 500 Champion. Along with
Bloody Jense’, aka Jenson Button, the 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Moonlighting
aboard another.
Rahal LettermanLanigan Racing’s brace of BMW M8
Hybrid’s were still awaiting confirmation of their fourth Daytona drivers when
I began scribblin’ this.
Whilst Cadillac will once again be represented
by the #01 Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) and NO. 31 Action Express Racing (AXR)
with one entry apiece. As Ganassi will leave it’s Seester’ #2 FIA World
Endurance Championship (WEC) chassis in Europe this year.
Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Nos. 6-7 entries
return, albeit with Dane Cameron swapping with Matt Campbell for a Full-season
IMSA WeatherTech campaignaboard the #7.
While Proton Competition’s customer Porsche 963
is now the #5. With JDC Miller Motorsport’s 963 becoming the No. 85 instead…
LMP2
The biggest news for this supporting class is
the inclusion of 2008 F1 Championship runner-up Felipe Massa joining the No. 74
Riley Motorsports entry! As Massa joins Gar Robinson, the reigning LMP3
Champion and company in His Rolex 24 debut.
The #04 CrowdStrike by APR features perennial Bad
Arse Sports Car Ace Colin Brown who drove for Meyer shank Racing with tom “The
Bomb” Blomqvist in IMSA GTP last year. And aspiring Indy NXT driver Toby
Sowery.
United Autosport will campaign the entire WeatherTech
SportsCar Championship this year with a brace of Oreca 07 entries, running the
nos. 2 & 22, each having one current IndyCar driver competing. While Ben
Keating, the reigning LMP2 Champion once again seeing “Double Duty”, racing the
No. 2 in LMP2 and the No. 85 in GTP.
The #33 Shawn Creech Motorsport entry is the
lone Ligier JS P217 in the field, with everyone else running the Oreca 07. All
utilizing the mandated spec Gibson normally aspirated V-8 lump’.
Also spotted Indy NXT race winner Mattie’ Brabham’s
name as part of the #99 Ao Racing entry.
GTD Pro
Interestingly, the reigning GTD Champion #1
Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 entry has moved up to the Pro Class this year.
While the biggest news for the category has to be the arrival of two new,
iconic marque’s.
General Motors (GM) sees the debut of it’s
brand new Corvette Z06 GT3.R entry running the familiar Nos. 3-4 now under the
banner of Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports. Try saying that fast
five times!
But it’s the other brand new Factory two car
entity I’m more intrigued over. With GM’s arch Nemesis Ford debuting it’s Mustang
GT3, Arse-sumedly Dark Horse derived variant? With the Multimatic Motorsports squad
appropriately campaigning the Nos. 64-65 with a stout driver’s lineup!
Then there’s the #9 Pfaff Motorsports McLaren
720S GT3 with thee Mayor ‘O Hinchtown’ as part of it’s four driver lineup. With
other one car entries from the defending Class Champion Vasser Sullivan No. 14 Lexus
RC F GT3. The #19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo 2.
A solitary Aston Martin Vantage GT3 for my perennial
Homeboyz’ #23 Heart of Racing Team, along with the #62 Risi Competizione
Ferrari 296 GT3. Plus the #75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the #77 Ao
Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R.
GT Daytona (GTD)
As typical, the GT Daytona Class features the
most entrants, for which I’m not gonna even try chronicling it’s 26 racecars!
There’s a total of ten Auto manufacturers competing,
i.e.; Acura, Auston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, McLaren,
Mercedes Benz and Porsche, all with GT3 spec machinery.
As the lone No. 66 Acura NSX of Gradient Racing
features a trio of Femme Fatales anchored by Thy Leggy Juan’, aka Katherine
Legge. With Sheena Monk and Tatiana Calderon being joined by Steven McAleer.
Other one car entries come from Vasser Sullivan
with it’s No. 12 Lexus. Proton Competition’s “Double Nickel” #55 Ford Mustang,
and the No. 96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4.
Oops! Almost forgot the No. 70 Inception Racing
McLaren 720S entry…
There’s two customer Corvette Z06’s for AWA.
Along with four Ferrari 296 GT3’s. With the #34 being campaigned by Conquest
Racing. While the No. 47 Cetilar Racing includes Eddie Cheever III on it’s
driver’s roll…
Aston Martin sees the other half of my Homeboyz’
duo’s No. 27 Heart of Racing Team along with Magnus Racing’s traditional #44.
The iconic Porsche 911 leads the category with
most entries, a robust six if I did my counting correctly? As my sentimental
favourite is the oddly numbered #120 of Wright Motorsport with Jan Van “Hagar”
Heylen as part of it’s drivers quartet.
While Jered Andretti, Gabby Chaves and Scott
Hargrove. Plus one TBA driver will share the iconic #43 entered by Andretti
Motorsports.
Quattro Lamborghini Huracan’s represent the
Italian marque. With the No. 85 Iron Dames featuring the History making trio of
Sarah boby, Michele Gatting and Rahel Frey, with a fourth driver listed as TBA.
Which I’ll hazard a guess will be the Uber impressive Dorian Pim.
Whilst the No. 78 Forte Racing Huracan sees
former IndyCar driver Sparky’, aka Devlin De Francesco behind it’s keyboard.
With Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti running the #45 Lambo’.
And I’ve almost forgotten the Merc’s, with three
Mercedes-AMG entries also in the fray. And it that Don’t add up to 26, don’t
Blame Me!
As typical, Y’all can catch the race on TV beginning this Saturday Arse-sumedly on Big NBC, USA Network and behind the Peacock Paywall! Or as I prefer, live on IMSA Radio via Zed Internets’…
